


Our Story

by starlightstarshine



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, i actually dont know much about musicals so don't kill me, tbh not much of jinhwi, the title isint the best thing but whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2018-12-22 05:05:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11960316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightstarshine/pseuds/starlightstarshine
Summary: Do you believe that love can transcend lifetimes?In the 1930s, where musicals were the joy of civilization, Ong Seongwoo is a rising musical actor who falls in love with his back up dancer.In the modern era of 2017, Daniel, a typical college student, meets a strangely handsome cashier at a convenience store at 2am, and for reasons unknown to him, sparks fly. Not literally of course.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Updates changed to once every two weeks. (Sorry)

**1930**

The spotlight seemed to spread warmth through Seongwoo’s body, causing him to involuntarily shiver as he lands his place at the center of the stage. Sweat trickling down his forehead as he finishes the last dance number, he takes a bow and the people behind him follows suit.

“Alright that’s a wrap on rehearsal!” Their director screams, cupping his hands around his mouth so he could be heard.

Seongwoo takes in a deep breath as he straightens up and his “manger” rushes towards with a handkerchief to wipe his sweat.

Rubbing the other’s forehead, the manager tells him, “I thought that went really well. This could be your break Ong, if this musical goes well you could be a well-known name.”

Seongwoo nods, rubbing his hands together, he replies, “For both of our sakes let’s hope this musical is a hit Jinyoung, months of rehearsal should never go to waste. But really more than me, you are more concerned about your pay raise, aren’t you? If I get famous your wallet will be filled, right?”

Jinyoung, his manager, flushes in embarrassment, “T-that’s n-not what I m-meant.”

Seongwoo winks at the other indicating that his statement was a joke. After his old manager quit, because she just couldn’t manage an actor who could only land himself side roles, he came across Jinyoung. The poor kid was only looking for a place to live until he gets his life together, but Seongwoo gave him a job, mostly because he had a spot open that he didn’t know how to fill. It was also because he had unknowingly adopted this kid and he doesn’t want to leave him alone at home.

Jinyoung thinks of the position as a huge gift and is constantly thankful, much to Seongwoo’s discomfort. Jinyoung being younger than Seongwoo also makes it hard for him to not feel like he would be fired at any given moment. Seongwoo, in all honesty, thought Jinyoung constantly fidgeting was cute, he likes keeping the other around, and he didn’t need to pay much to Jinyoung, so even if the other screws up really bad, he wouldn’t even mind.

And Jinyoung is a kid, there’s no way Seongwoo was going to let the kid continue to live on the streets and there is no way he can abandon the boy at home alone.

But in some ways, Seongwoo has to say Jinyoung was like some kind of lucky charm, since as soon as he hired/adapted the other he landed himself the lead of a huge musical, King Arthur in the play Camelot. Not even Seongwoo, with his huge confidence, could have ever thought he could have landed the role.

But he did.

Waving off Jinyoung when the boy continues to pat down his face, he walks off stage to take a look at the auditorium as a whole.

In a few days, these empty red seats will be filled with people, cheering, for him.

Seongwoo couldn’t stop the shivers from running down his spine, cheekily smiling by himself, he turns his attention back to the stage. Staff were busily taking props down, costume designers were checking up on everyone’s outfits, set designers were doing last minute redesigns, the scriptwriter is talking to another actor in a hushed tone, and the director is busily running here and there.

Seongwoo loves all of it, every bit of it.

It is his love for musicals, love for being on stage, that kept him going while he was stuck with mediocre roles with low payment.

A female staff notices him staring and shyly waves at him. Seongwoo, flashing her his winning smiling, waves back. The women almost swoons to the floor.

_This part of the job is not that bad as well._

Just then he notices, from the corner of his eyes, a flash of pink. He turns to the side to see a man, dressed entirely in black, holding a bascinet (medieval helmet) in one hand, and armor in the other, while a costume designer fuss over the size of the inner suit.

_One of the knights, a backup dancer._

But what catches Seongwoo’s attention isn’t the boy’s broad shoulder, or wide smile as the costume designer fusses over him; it is his outrageously pink hair.

Seongwoo stifles down his laughter as he sees the director half walking-half jogging towards him.

“That was a really good rehearsal run Ong Seongwoo, for a newcomer you are unbelievably good.”

Seongwoo gives the other a stiff smile, he wouldn’t call himself a newcomer but he will take what he gets, “Thank you, it’s all thanks to your directing.”

The director smiles back proud, laughing slightly he pats the other’s shoulder while saying, “If this goes well, you will for sure be the lead for my next production.”

_Flattery works like a charm._

Before the director rushes away Seongwoo quickly asks, “Who’s the pink hair?”

The director frowns slightly, “Replacement, the old back up dancer twisted his ankle, and he was the only one available. The hair is quite distracting, isn’t it?”

Seongwoo absentmindedly shakes his head, without quite thinking he answers, “I think it’s quite charming.”

The director’s frown deepens.

Realizing what he said, Seongwoo shakes is head again, “I mean, thank god he is wearing the bascinet, otherwise his pink hair would have ruined the play, it would have been a huge distraction.”

The director curtly nods and runs off as a staff calls him over.

Seongwoo sighs.

_The hair’s not the only distraction._

_The broad shoulder._

_The smile._

_The eye smile._

_Oh my god what the fu-_

“You look like you are drooling,” Jinyoung says walking up to Seongwoo.

Seongwoo looks at the other alarmed, as if Jinyoung just caught him doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing. Jinyoung looks at the other with equal alarm.

“Are you okay?” Jinyoung asks.

_I make people swoon, it’s not the other way around._

_I’m so fucked._

From the distance Seongwoo hears the director call for an extra rehearsal for one of the dance numbers after a 15-minute break.

Seongwoo leans into Jinyoung and whispers, “I’m going to go to my dressing room okay and when I do, after five minutes, exactly five minutes, I want you to tell that pink haired guy to come to my dressing room, okay?”

Jinyoung nods viciously, taking Seongwoo’s order as his life mission. Seongwoo’s pats the other’s back as he walks away towards his dressing room. Looking at his wristwatch he estimates that it took him about a minute to walk from the stage to his dressing room.

Tiredly he takes a seat on the hard chair by the dressing room mirror. The lights on the mirror, that were quite dim, seem to illuminate his features.

Seongwoo cocks his head to this side, jutting out his chin, he traces his fingers across his jaw.

_Not bad. Not bad at all._

Seongwoo smiles cheekily at the mirror. What is he without his confidence after all?

A few minutes later there is a knock on the door. Seongwoo checks his watch and smiles, exactly six minutes; he knows he can trust Jinyoung with anything. 

He waits for a minute before telling the knocker to come in.

The pink haired dancer walks in, timidly, wearing a simple black shirt and pants, hesitating as he enters the dressing room.

Rubbing his neck in embarrassment, the boy asks, “You asked for me?”

Seongwoo tilts his head to the side, taking in the view of the boy in front of him; rosy checks, slightly larger two teeth showing as he bites down on his lips, shy, teetering from one feet to another as he waits for Seongwoo to speak.

_Cute._

Slowly Seongwoo stands up, being the dramatic he is, he exaggerates taking his hand out of his pocket as he holds it out for an handshake.

“Heard you are new. Name is Ong Seongwoo.”

The boy stares at the hand, then back at Seongwoo’s face, and a smile blooms on his face, nervousness gone, there is only amusement in his eyes.

“Ong?” The boy asks, laughter threatening to arise from his lips.

Slightly embarrassed himself, Seongwoo takes back the hand he held out and starts rubbing his own neck. “Yeah, Ong.”

The boy lets out a fit of giggles, his eyes turning into half moons and his hand slightly covering his pearly white rabbit teeth.

Even though Seongwoo didn’t like the reason for the other’s laughter, he has to admit, something about his laughter made Seongwoo feel… good.

Clearing his throat to catch the attention of the giggling backup dancer he proudly states, “I’m the lead of this musical.”

_Yeah like that’s going to redeem you._

The boy stifles back his fit of giggles and clears his own throat, “Yeah I know, it’s kind of hard to miss when you are in the center.” The boy’s smile widens and Seongwoo’s heart flutters, “My name is Kang Daniel by the way.”

Daniel takes out his own hand and Seongwoo firmly shakes it, giving the other his flirty smile, one he usually reserves for a female staff or a pretty girl walking down the street.

“Sorry about the laughter, I laugh basically at anything,” Daniel clarifies, clearing his throat again, “It’s just that your last name is really…unique.”

Seongwoo raises his eyebrows, “Says the guy with the pink hair.”

Daniel immediately reaches towards his hair and ruffles it, frowning, “What’s wrong with my hair?”

It is Seongwoo’s turn to laugh, “It’s pink!”

Daniel’s frown deepens, “I like it pink,” he mumbles defensively.

Seongwoo laughs again, instinctively reaching forward and ruffling the other’s hair, he says, “Don’t worry it’s cute.”

Daniel’s cheek turns rosy again, and that’s when Seongwoo realizes what he said and what he did, quickly retrieving his hand back and turning pink himself, he shifts his attention back to his wristwatch to hide his embarrassment.

“The extra practice should start soon, so I’ll see you on stage?”

Daniel nods, and before both of his feet were out the door, Seongwoo, unable to resist, asks to Daniel’s back, “Perhaps, we will see each other off stage more as well?”

Daniel doesn’t turn around but Seongwoo’s sees the other’s ears turn red, and that’s all he needs.

**2017**

“I swear to god Yoon Jisung if you kick me one more time I will murder you.”

Jisung kicks Daniel again, this time harder.

It took all of Daniel’s self control to not strangle his older friend right there and then, instead he takes a deep breath, gets up and decided to be the bigger person in the picture.

Jisung lays diagonally on the bed, on _Daniel’s_ bed, a sheepish expression on his face, “I want ramen.”

Daniel puts his hand on his hips, it is not everyday that Jisung acts like a complete twelve-year-old so the whole situation is absolutely absurd to him. It is Jisung who usually takes care of Daniel, Jisung who puts up with Daniel’s sudden tantrums and five am rants, it is Jisung that is the mom of the two, not him. Jisung acting like he needs to be taken care of slightly scares Daniel.

Sighing Daniel gently says, “Jisung, it’s two am in the morning.”

Jisung shrugs, “I want ramen.”

Daniel closes his eyes and thinks of all the things Jisung has done for him, it is the only thing that is keeping him from hitting the other silly.

“Jisung I can’t deal with this I have to leave for class in four hours. I. Need. Sleep.”

Jisung pouts, “When you needed me, did I tell you that I needed sleep? No, I stayed up all night while you ranted about the stupid girlfriend who cheated on you for the fifteenth time, helped you devise plans to confront and break up with her, to only have you stay with her anyway. Wait, why are you still with her, again?”

Ignoring the question Daniel sits back down on his bed, facing Jisung he says, “Okay let’s talk, what’s wrong?”

“Aside from the fact that I asked for ramen and I still haven’t gotten it?”

Daniel, not helping himself, smacks the other with a pillow. Giving up trying to reason with a grumpy, moody Jisung he gets up, “Fine I’ll get you ramen, but after that we deal with whatever you are going through, so you can start being my mother again.”

Jisung shrugs again but there is a slight smile on his face.

“Don’t let strangers in,” Daniel shouts as he locks the door behind him. He cackles as he thinks what would happen if someone did barge into their dorm, Jisung would probably sit the thief down, offer some tea and evaluate the other’s life choices with them.

Jogging to the nearest convenience store, which is a good ten minutes away, he hurriedly rushes in and grabs the first two ramen packets he sees, wanting to get home, to his bed, as quick as he can.

He rings up the cashier, and out from the store room, yawning, comes out a strangely handsome boy, around his age.

Strangely handsome, because why is someone who looks like a model working at a convenience store at two in the morning?

Getting a good look at the boy’s face as he shuffles towards the counter, Daniel feels a sense of warmth spreading across his chest. There is a feeling of familiarity but Daniel couldn’t put a finger on it, and it was mildly disturbing how he could feel familiar with a random cashier at a convenience store at two in the morning.

Maybe he just needs some sleep.

The boy doesn’t even look at Daniel, staring at the ramen in his hand, the boy, yawning again, asks, “Is that it?”

Daniel, for some reason, seems to have lost the ability to speak, as he slowly lets out a soft hum.

The boy, noticing the lack of response, looks up at Daniel, and his eyes widen, slightly. Really slightly, that if Daniel isn’t paying as close attention as he is, he wouldn’t have noticed it.

_He feels it too._

_The familiarity._

To confirm his suspicion the boy points a finger at him and asks, “Have I seen you before?”

Daniel doesn’t respond causing the boy to cock his head in curiosity, “Are you deaf or mute?”

Daniel, finally finding his voice, says, “Uh neither, but uh, yeah, have I see you before?”

To Daniel’s embarrassment his voice cracks and he feels himself go red.

_Nice going Daniel._

The boy leans in, taking a closer look at Daniel, making Daniel squirm due to closeness as he feels his face heat up more.

The boy, however, seems unfathomed by the lack of distance and shrugs after taking a good look at Daniel’s face, “You look familiar but I can’t remember where I have seen you… maybe we both just need some sleep.”

Daniel nervously laughs and hands over his two packs of ramen.

The boy takes it and slowly scans it, “Ramen at two am, you don’t seem like the type.”

The boy looks up and slowly scans Daniel’s upper body, and Daniel squirms some more.

“It’s uh, my friend, uh being weird.”

Daniel winces at his own sentence.

Seongwoo shrugs, ignoring or not noticing Daniel’s lack of language skills, “Some days are rough. Tell your friend things would get better.”

Daniel silently nods as he quickly grabs the ramen in an attempt to get out of this situation, whatever this situation is, as fast as possible.

As he nears the door, the boy calls him back, “Hey pink hair dude you forgot your other ramen pack.”

Daniel looks down at his hands in horror as he realizes that in his hurry he only managed to grab one pack out of the two. For a few seconds, he debates whether he really needs the second pack of ramen, but money is money, so with a sigh, he goes back to the counter to get his ramen.

The boy waits for him with the pack in hand, a cheeky smile playing at his lips. For some reason, the smile rubs Daniel off in the wrong way.

As Daniel, harshly, grabs the ramen back he retorts, “My name is Daniel, Kang Daniel, not pink hair dude.”

That wipes the smile off the boy’s face as it replaces with an expression of recognition, as if he had heard Daniel’s name before too.

_Relax there’s a lot of people named Daniel._

The boy quickly collects himself as he points to his name tag, “I’m Ong Seongwoo. Not Hong Seongwoo. Not Gong Seongwoo. Not Ung Seongwoo. Not On Seongwoo. It’s Ong Seongwoo. Nice to meet you.”

After that ridiculous introduction, Daniel could only stare at the other in shock, as he feels another sense of recognition seep in as the boy introduced himself.

_How many people with the name Ong Seongwoo do I know?_

Daniel shakes away that thought, he really needs some sleep. He must have been staring at Seongwoo for a long time because the other clears his throat to catch Daniel's attention back.  

“Can I pet your hair?” Seongwoo asks.

Daniel raises his eyebrows, apparently, they both need sleep. With everything else that is weird going on right now, from going to get ramen at two am, to finding familiarity with a stranger, why the fuck not? Daniel leans in so Seongwoo could pet his hair.

Seongwoo ruffles his hair and Daniel feels a shiver run down his spine. His head suddenly feels dizzy as he feels a sense of déjà vu.

_This has happened before._

Daniel looks up to find that Seongwoo looks nearly as alarmed as he feels.

_But when?_

Before either of them could comment on what the hell is happening, Daniel’s phone rings. Daniel hesitatingly picks up the phone to only wince as Jisung’s alarmed voice attacks his ears.

“Yah Kang Daniel what is taking you so long!? I sent you to get ramen not to the military!”

Daniel couldn’t help himself as he fondly smiles at the concern in Jisung’s voice. Mom Jisung is back.

“Don’t get so worked up, I’ll be there in 10 minutes.”

As Daniel hangs up, Seongwoo raises his eyebrows as if to ask who that was, but Daniel doesn’t respond to the look, it’s not like Seongwoo needs to know who was on the other end of the line.

Until today they were strangers.

 But it doesn’t feel like it.

_He doesn’t feel like someone I don’t know._

Daniel finds himself turning his back towards Seongwoo and walking towards the exit once again.

Seongwoo calls him again, “See you around Kang Daniel.”

Daniel doesn’t know why but he feels himself grow red, again. 


	2. 2

**1930**

Having the opening show this evening, Seongwoo feels jittery, walking alongside him is Jinyoung who is chattering non-stop about how Seongwoo should take of his voice before the show, so to shut him up and to relax himself he stops by a bakery.

Seongwoo points at the bakery, and then back at himself, “Coffee.”

Jinyoung nods as he opens the door for Seongwoo. He walks in to meet the warmth and sweet scent that only comes along with a bakery. That itself calms Seongwoo down.

As he takes a seat, Jinyoung goes to order coffee, and Seongwoo’s attention devotes itself to watch his manager nervously order coffee. It amuses Seongwoo to see him stutter as he stares at the cashier, a cheerful boy around Jinyoung’s age who is wearing a huge smile and is just overall cute.

_They grow up so fast._

As Jinyoung waddles back with a coffee in each hand and Seongwoo couldn’t stop a smirk from appearing on his face.

“Looks like you were the one drooling this time.”

Jinyoung nearly spills the coffee all over Seongwoo and Seongwoo’s smirk turns sly as he realizes he hit a jackpot.

Leaning close to the other he whispers, “Go get a name and talk. It will be good to talk to others your age.”

Jinyoung looks unsure but with a gentle shove, he stumbles towards the cashier, who greets him with another wide smile.

Seongwoo feels like a proud father.

Right at that moment, freaking Kang Daniel walks through the front door, and Seongwoo’s jaw nearly drops to the floor.

Daniel casually goes up to the cashier, not Jinyoung’s cashier, another one as his was too busy talking to Jinyoung, and orders without even looking at the menu.

_I guess he comes here often._

Picking up his order, he heads towards the tables and stops as he sees Seongwoo. For a while Daniel just stands there unsure of where to go and they just stare at each other, not moving.

_Oh, what the heck, why not?_

Seongwoo motions Daniel to sit with him and Daniel, shyly, walks towards the other.

“I didn’t think I would see you here.” Seongwoo comments as Daniel takes a seat.

Daniel sets down his plate, which has a very thick slice of strawberry shortcake on it, and sits down, shyly smiling, “Yeah me either.”

“So, you are a strawberry shortcake fan?” Seongwoo timidly asks, wanting to make the conversation going.

Daniel shrugs, “I always eat one before a performance, it’s like a ritual, amongst other things. I’m guessing it is the same with you and coffee.”

“Double cream and double sugar, it calms me down.”

Daniel giggles as he puts a hand underneath his chin, staring at Seongwoo with wonder, “Usually people drink coffee to wake them up, not calm them down.”

The corner of Seongwoo’s lip lifts as he sips his coffee, “What can I say? I’m different.”

Right then a loud noise of laughter comes from the other side of the room, and Seongwoo turns over to see Jinyoung laughing at something the cashier said, his manger’s face the happiest Seongwoo has seen for a while.

A burst of happiness spreads through Seongwoo’s chest.

Daniel points at the laughing figure, “Isn’t that your manager?”

Seongwoo nods smiling, for some reason proud, “Yup that’s him.”

Daniel takes a bite of his cake, “He is really young, are you sure this isn’t some form of child labour?”

Danial means it as a joke but Seongwoo feels a pang of annoyance, voice bitter he retorts, “I found him on the streets in the middle of December, I couldn’t leave him alone so he comes around with me while working as my ‘manager’ while getting food and a room to sleep in. But yeah you are right, child labour.”

He says the words ‘child labour’ with venom, as if the words itself were some poison.

Daniel flushes red, again, “I-I d-didn’t m-mean uh, I-”

Seongwoo waves off whatever response Daniel was mustering, “Sorry I just get this response a lot whenever people see Jinyoung as my manager, I’m just annoyed by it by now, that’s all.”

_Great Seongwoo whatever chance you had with him is now gone, good job at getting pissed at him._

Daniel stares at his half-eaten cake, “What you are doing is really amazing.”

Seongwoo raises his eyebrows as he takes another sip of his coffee, surprised by the sudden compliment.

Daniel, still staring at his cake continues, “I was orphaned a long time ago. My parents left me on the streets when I was young because I guess they couldn’t afford me. Someone saw me and they sent me to the orphanage, and... the orphanage… it’s…”

Daniel lets out a soft shudder which makes Seongwoo want to wrap his arms around the other.

“It’s horrible,” Daniel finishes, “I always wished someone took me in instead. So yeah…uh…you are amazing for doing what you are doing.”

Seongwoo suddenly feels really hot, “I’m sorry about…”

Daniel shrugs and takes a bite of the cake, “It’s history,” smiling he says, “I’m happy right now, dancing.”

Seongwoo smiles seeing the happiness in Daniel’s face bloom as he says the word dancing, “How long?”

“Give or take five years, three of them I did backup dancing for musicals.”

“Really? What’s you favourite one so far?”

Daniel smiles wide, bunny teeth and all, his cheeks turning slightly rosy, he bashfully says, “This one. I think _you_ will make it a huge success.”

Seongwoo looks at the other confused, “But opening night didn’t even happen yet…”

It is only after Seongwoo says the statement that he realizes the implications of Daniel’s words.

_Is he flirting with me?_

Daniel looks down, embarrassed again, mumbling, “Never mind.”

_Stupid Seongwoo. Stupid. Stupid. Why am I an idiot?_

Before Seongwoo could say something, Daniel stands up, looking at his wristwatch he says, “I better go.”

As Daniel tucks his chair back in to leave, Seongwoo, trying to redeem himself, flirtingly says, “I will be watching you today Kang Daniel, make sure to not screw up.”

Daniel with a soft twinkle in his eyes, retorts, “I’ll be watching you too Ong Seongwoo.”

And just like that he leaves, leaving Seongwoo speechless and breathless.

Jinyoung walks over, smiling to himself, cheerily he tells Seongwoo, “His name is Daehwi and he is amazing. I think we should come here more often.”

Seongwoo, staring at the door which Daniel just exited through, softly agrees, “I think we should too.”

**2017**

Daniel comes back from school, tired and wanting desperately to sleep, but Jisung isn’t having any of it. As soon as he enters their apartment, Jisung is standing there with his hands on his hips and an impatient look on his face, “What happened yesterday night? What took you so long? You didn’t tell me.”

Throwing his bag away and plopping on his bed, Daniel asks back, “What makes you think anything happened?”

Jisung rolls his eyes, “You came back home yesterday with this weird expression on your face, like you were happy but you were confused as to why you were happy. Then when I asked you what took you so long you threw the ramen packet at me and went to sleep while mumbling about your pink hair.”

Daniel stares at the other in confusion, “I did?” His memory of yesterday only went up till him leaving the convivence store.

Jisung nods as he takes a seat beside the other, “Fess up.”

Daniel looks at the other, raising an eyebrow, “First tell me what was up with you yesterday.”

Jisung shrugs, “Someone just annoyed me at work. Your turn.”

Daniel frowns, not quite believing the answer but he takes it anyways, he sighs, debating in his head whether he should tell the other about the weirdness that happened yesterday.

“Just tell me,” Jisung prompts as though he could read Daniel’s thoughts.

Daniel sighs again, “Okay but it’s kind of weird, and you can’t tell anyone.”

Jisung nods firmly.

“I met this guy yesterday at the store, and he was pretty decent looking.” Daniel bites his lips, unsure why he said the second part of the statement as it slipped out without him thinking, Jisung smirks.

Daniel shakes his head, “It’s not like that, I felt like I saw him somewhere before and I have a feeling he felt it too. But I’m unsure where I saw him and it’s high key creepy that I could recognize a random dude at a convenience store.”

Jisung cocks his head thought, “Maybe it’s a distant relative that you saw at a family gathering that you barely remember.”

“His last name is Ong. If I knew his family I would remember it.”

“Really, Ong?”

“Yeah Ong.”

Jisung snickers, and Daniel rolls his eyes, “Really helpful.”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t forget an Ong, maybe you were just sleep deprived.”

Daniel shrugs and lays down as bed, eyes closing he mumbles, “Maybe.”

Laying down he thinks of Ong Seongwoo’s face, his familiar smile and the way the other had ruffled his hair, the whole gesture feeling familiar. He thinks hard.

_Where have I seen him before?_

Suddenly he feels goosebumps spread across his body as his mind reels finding where he had seen Seongwoo’s face.

Gasping as he gets up in his bed, he feels his heart beat a mile a minute as the recognition settles in.

_No way._

Jisung looks at the other with a mix of worry and fright, “What’s wrong?”

“I dreamt about him.”

Jisung, not helping himself, laughs. Daniel frowns, he doesn’t understand what’s funny.

Jisung continues to laugh till he was able to get himself together, wiping away the tears formed through his laughter, he says, “I guess you can say he is your dream boy then.”

Daniel’s frown deepens, “I’m serious.”

Jisung looks at the other with wide eyes, unfamiliar with the seriousness in Daniel’s voice.

“Remember when I told you that when I was younger I started having these dreams of this guy performing on this stage, he didn’t look like anyone I knew… The guy at the store, that was him. That guy looked exactly liked him.”

Jisung shivers and hugs himself, “That’s really creepy Daniel.”

Daniel chest aches, as if someone is pressing something hard and heavy unto it, his hands were slightly shaky, and he is sweating as if he ran a marathon, “I need to go get some fresh air.”

Jisung nods, his face concerned, “Don’t think too much about it okay? Come back home soon.”

Daniel wordlessly nods, his body in auto mode as it takes itself outside the door.

Before he knows it, he smells the scent of fresh bread and sweetness; he has somehow landed himself right in front of the local bakery.

As he approached the entrance of the bakery Ong freaking Seongwoo steps out, a coffee in hand, and Daniel literally stops breathing.

“Oh, hey there pink hair,” Seongwoo greets.

Daniel could only stare at the other, goosebumps arising on his arms as he recalls that he doesn’t remember how he got to the bakery, but he did, and now Ong Seongwoo, the guy that appears in his dreams, is now standing in front of him.

“Why do you always grow mute whenever you see me? Am I that handsome?” Seongwoo asks, a smirk playing on his lips.

Daniel blinks, bringing himself back to reality, shrugging it off casually he responds, “Just shocked to see you here, that’s all.”

“Yeah same. I never saw you by this bakery before. First time?”

Daniel wordlessly nods, remembering that he doesn’t remember actually getting there.

“You should try the strawberry shortcake, you like those right?”

Daniel’s mind freezes, finding his voice, he slowly asks, “How do you know I like strawberry shortcakes?”

The question seems to startle Seongwoo, just like how the suggestion startled Daniel, and for a while Seongwoo stares at the other confused.

“I guess you just seem like the type…” Seongwoo answers, trying to sound casual, but there is this uncertainty in his voice, as if he himself doesn’t know why he chose that type of cake among the others, “…you seem like a sweet lover.”

Daniel snorts, “Says the guy who gets his coffee with double cream and sugar.”

Seongwoo freezes, cup midway to his mouth, through a clenched mouth he asks, “How do you know that?”

Daniel shrugs, his heart beating faster, “You seem like the type.”

_How did I know?_

_Gosh I need to get away from this guy._

Seongwoo suddenly smiles and Daniel erases the last thought from his head.

“I think we should go out sometime since we seem to know each other well.” There is a joking tone in Seongwoo’s voice, but there is also a pinch of seriousness and curiosity in it.

Daniel grins back, the mood around them lifting, “Sorry I don’t go out with random cashiers that I meet in the middle of the night.”

Seongwoo winks, “You should.”

Daniel, despite himself, blushes, teetering on his feet and glancing at his watch he says, “I should go.”

Seongwoo nods, flirtingly he says, “I’ll see you today at 2am.”

Daniel rolls his eyes at the tone in Seongwoo’s voice, “How do you know I will come?”

“I know you will.”

There is this funny smile on Seongwoo’s face that sends shivers down Daniel’s spine.

Daniel shakes his head and walks away, but of course he will be there at 2am at the convenience store, buying ramen.

 


	3. 3

**1930**

The cheers seem to roar in Seongwoo’s ears as he jumps off stage, the rest of the cast follows, bumping into each, laughing.

Their opening night is a success.

More than a success; everyone seems to love them and with this response Seongwoo is sure they would have to add more shows around the country.  

If Seongwoo ever has to pick a moment in his life where he has to end it all and be satisfied, it would be this moment.

His eyes catch a flash of pink hair and suddenly an arm is slung on his shoulder, sending warmth through Seongwoo’s body.

_Maybe I wouldn’t just end it right now._

Daniel is looking at him, eyes twinkling with amazement and with a smile that seem to reach from one ear to another. Despite the noise, the cheers, the staff all bumping into them, the reporters with the cameras and questions, Seongwoo would swear at that moment it feels like it was only Daniel and him there.

Daniel leans and whispers in Seongwoo’s ears, his tone husky and breathless, “I told you that you would make this play a success.”

Seongwoo involuntarily shivers.

_That’s it, if I were to die here and now I would be satisfied._

Seongwoo must have been staring at Daniel for a super long time because Daniel raises his eyebrows in question but there is this playful smile on his lips, as if he could tell what Seongwoo is thinking.

Seongwoo playfully tries to shove Daniel’s grip on his shoulder away but Daniel’s grip on him got tighter, he is so close to him that they were practically hugging.

Daniel leans in again, “After this do you want to go out for some coffee?”

_Yes, yes, yes_

But Seongwoo bites his lips, he prides himself in not being such an easy man. No one, not even Kang freaking Daniel, with his husky voice, eye smile and strong grip on his shoulder can stop him from playing hard to get.

A smirk playing on his own lips Seongwoo leans in and whispers in Daniel’s ears, “We will see.”

He manages to move out of Daniel’s embrace as Daniel had loosened his grip in shock. Whatever answer the other was expecting it isn’t that. Seongwoo straightens out his suit that got crumpled in Daniel’s grip and smiles, “If you are lucky Kang Daniel we might go out for more than just a coffee.”

Daniel’s grin gets larger, “I’m betting on it.”

Right then a reporter calls out for him.

Seongwoo nods towards the direction of the reporter, but he doesn’t leave before leaning into Daniel one more time.

“You should.”

Daniel blushes the darkest shade of red Seongwoo has ever seen and Seongwoo winks, proud, as he made Kang Daniel shy, again.

Walking away he hears Daniel’s soft giggles rise up into the air. If Seongwoo had to listen to one sound for the rest of his life, it would be that.

**2017**

Daniel doesn’t know why but he finds himself walking to the convenience store at 2 am despite Jisung telling him that he has to leave for class super early tomorrow due to the weather.

_I’m 100% sure that I’m going to sleep in class tomorrow._

He thinks of Seongwoo’s smirk, the odd familiarity and the spread of warmth that comes along with seeing the other and he thinks,

_Fuck school, it’s worth it._

As he nears the convenience store he sees a tall figure slumped by the store entrance, face in hands.

“Ong?” Daniel asks softly to the distressed figure.

Seongwoo looks up, his eyes teary and his mouth curved downward. He sees Daniel and his mouth slightly turns up, “Oh hey there pink hair boy.”

“Is everything okay?”

Seongwoo stares at Daniel, at his pink hair, at his nervous stance, at his caring eyes and almost cries.

“I got fired.”

Daniel quietly sits down next to him and pats the other’s shoulder, he has always been horrible at comforting others.

“It will be alright.”

Seongwoo blankly stares at the darkened horizon, his eyes glassy with tears.

Moments pass as Daniel debates whether or not he should just wrap his arms around the other. Just as Daniel is ready to sling his arms around the other’s shoulder in comfort, Seongwoo stands up sighing, startling Daniel.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

Daniel wordlessly nods.

They walk by each other in silence, and Daniel looks at Seongwoo nervously, unsure what to say.

_How do I even start up a conversation?_

_Maybe with a ‘hey I think I saw you in my dreams before.’_

_What would Jisung do?_

Before Daniel could open his mouth and potentially embarrass himself, Seongwoo starts up the conversation.

“Daniel is a pretty western name.”

Daniel chuckles softly at the sudden comment, “Yeah, my real name, my old name before I changed it, was Euigeon.”

“Huh.”

“Yeah weird name, right?”

“Why did you change it?”

Daniel shrugs, staring up the stars twinkling down at them, “Daniel just felt more right. Euigeon was pretty hard to pronounce anyways.”

Seongwoo hums in acknowledgment.

“You know what’s funny? When I told my mom, I wanted to change it to Daniel she started laughing. She told me my great-grandfather was also named Daniel.”

“Did he change his name too?”

“No, he grew up in an catholic orphanage so they named him Daniel. How about your name?”

“I was named after my great grandfather. I look a lot like him too, apparently.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

Seongwoo gives the other a slight smile and Daniel feels his heart soar.

“He was a musical actor.” Seongwoo says after some thought.

Daniel nearly freezes in his tracks but his feet, luckily, doesn’t give away. His mind reels back to his dreams, to the man who looks like Seongwoo, singing on the stage, smiling, the crowds cheering something over and over again.

“Was he famous?”

Daniel could hear the cheers roar through his ears, as if he was and is on stage too.

Seongwoo looks at Daniel with this funny expression on his face, “For a while I think.”

Daniel nods, his mind numb.

“My mother says I’m too much like him.”

“Why’s that?”

Seongwoo sighs, “She says I’m following his path.”

“You want to be a musical actor?”

“An actor.”

In the moment Daniel forgets about the troubling dreams and the strange familiarity. He smiles at Seongwoo with the most genuine smile that Seongwoo has seen in a while from anyone.

“That’s great Seongwoo!”

Seongwoo shakes his head, “I’m barely getting any roles. I have only played extras so far.”

Daniel, on instinct, slings his arms around the other, “Trust me your time will come.”

Seongwoo gives Daniel a questioning look, “What makes you think that?”

Daniel starts to hear the cheers again, roaring louder, this time he could hear what they are saying.

_Ong Seongwoo!_

_Ong Seongwoo!_

_Ong Seongwoo!_

“I don’t know why but for some reason I think you will be very popular.”


	4. 4

**1930**

The moment you realize you have fallen in love doesn’t always occur when you are thinking about the significant other late at night or when that significant other confesses to you. It could happen in the middle of the day when you go out to get some coffee without the significant other even next to you. It could happen while you wait for your order and see a person close to you eat a strawberry shortcake. It could happen to you when you least expect it.

And the feeling when you realize it is like a twenty-ton clump of metal just landed on your chest making it hard for you to even breathe. Because yes, you are in love, and realizing you are in love is a beautiful thing, but it’s also an extremely scary thing and for Seongwoo who has never even dedicated more than one night to someone, it is a downright terrifying thing.

During this scary realization, Seongwoo feels a tap on his shoulder and he turns around to see a very dishevelled Jinyoung looking at him all concerned. “Are you okay?”

Seongwoo eyeing Jinyoung’s messy appearance, smiles. Jinyoung tagged along with him for the tour of the musical, and as someone who didn’t travel often, the whole experience is crazy to Jinyoung. However, despite the whole experience being completely foreign to the other, Jinyoung never complained.

“I’m fine.”

Seongwoo grabs the coffee, and sips on it, wincing as the hot liquid came in contact with his mouth.

“Daniel wants to see you.”

Seongwoo nearly spits the coffee all over Jinyoung’s face, a face which is holding a very knowing smirk. Seongwoo resists the urge to roll his eyes.

While touring, Daniel and him spent almost every minute not rehearsing or performing with each other. Neither of them plans it, it just happens. Their meetings happen randomly like one-day, Daniel entered his dressing room with a tattered book in hand telling the other that he could balance the thing on his head while singing the alphabet backwards.

Seongwoo laughed because for a second he actually thought that Daniel was going to read the book.

Their encounters were always spontaneous and unpredictable so they would also come up with outrageous plans just to surprise the other. Once Seongwoo had heard there was a ‘haunted house’ around the area they were touring in and Seongwoo led Daniel there without telling him. Daniel almost cried seeing the house and Seongwoo had never seen the other run as fast as he did; Seongwoo doesn’t remember laughing more than he did that day.

One of the few times Daniel and him wouldn’t be attached by the hip is the morning before a show, when Daniel would do whatever pre-show ritual he did before joining Seongwoo at a local bakery for some strawberry shortcake.

Seongwoo spent the time Daniel left him at the bakery drinking coffee and bothering Jinyoung about his crush that he left back at home, one that Jinyoung often sends letters to.

But lately Jinyoung has started to mock Seongwoo regarding Daniel in a similar fashion, and Seongwoo is glad the boy has finally stopped fidgeting around him.

Thinking that he had at least an hour before Daniel would join him, he gets shocked when Jinyoung points to the window and sees Daniel waving at him.

“Wait for me at the bakery,” Seongwoo tells Jinyoung.

Jinyoung only smirks back.

Abandoning the warmth of the bakery he practically runs to the exit to see Daniel.

“I thought you were going to do that pre-show ritual thing that you do, by the way you never tell me what that is.”

Daniel smiles and Seongwoo starts feeling giddy, as if he had drunk thirty cups of coffee, “Today, I’m going to show you what that ritual is.”

_Gosh I’m so in love._

_I’m so screwed._

Daniel motions Seongwoo to follow him and Seongwoo gladly complies, grinning ear to ear.

“Your pre-show ritual isn’t some creepy thing, is it? Like sacrificing a squirrel?”

Daniel laughs a full-blown laughter; his back bent and face towards the sky. He looks over at Seongwoo, and whispers, “Maybe, even if it was, would you still follow me?”

Seongwoo stares at Daniel, at the way his eyes practically disappear when he smiles, the way his broad shoulders shake as they laugh, the way his eyes twinkle whenever he looks at him and he thinks,

_I would follow you to hell if I have to._

But he doesn’t say it, because he doesn’t want to ruin this moment.

Instead, he jokingly says, “I would even help you catch a squirrel.”

Daniel laughs again and it takes all of Seongwoo’s self-control to not grab the other by the shoulder and kiss his laughing lips.

Before they knew it, they were in front of a very familiar building.

“This is where our show is happening tonight.” Seongwoo comments, slightly frowning, wondering why they were there.

Daniel looks at the building in bliss, “Hopefully they would have record player backstage.”

Daniel, ignoring the confused looks thrown in his direction practically runs to the entrance and Seongwoo follows.

Though it is dark, Daniel seems to know his way around as he easily enters backstage, he motions Seongwoo towards the record player and says, “Pick any song, any and meet me at the auditorium”

Seongwoo gives the other a questioning glance but complies, picking literally the first record he sees, he gently puts it on the record player and places the needle on the track. As the track starts with the gentle playing of the violin, Seongwoo runs to the auditorium to find Daniel standing on stage, his hands on his hips with a playful smile on his face. He motions Seongwoo to sit down on the red chairs.

And then he moves, and Seongwoo swears, he has never seen anyone move more gracefully.

The music, since it came from backstage, isn’t that loud, but Seongwoo plays no heed to the music as his attention is completely on Daniel.

On the way the other’s hip moves, head sways, the way his long legs lands gracefully as he moves across his stage with his head high, eyes closed and lips holding a content smile.

Daniel dances as if no one is watching, as if he is the only person in the world and all he cares for is dancing.

As the song comes to an end, leaving both Daniel and Seongwoo breathless, Daniel gives Seongwoo a nervous look, “How was I?”

_Beautiful._

Seongwoo stand up and claps, “That deserves a standing ovation.”

Daniel smiles, “Thanks. It was better than catching squirrels, wasn’t it?”

Seongwoo smiles, “You deserve to be more than a back up dancer.”

Daniel shrugs as he walks towards the end of the stage, “I like being a back up dancer.”

Daniel takes out his hand, and indicates Seongwoo to get on stage with him. Seongwoo grabs his hand and leaps on stage.

They stand next to each other and stare at the auditorium, at the large array of red seats that would be soon filled with people cheering Seongwoo’s name, and Seongwoo thinks that they should be cheering Daniel’s too.

Daniel looks at Seongwoo his gaze soft, and his lips slightly upturned, “I like being a back up dancer because I get to meet and perform with people like you.”

Seongwoo looks back at Daniel. They were so close that Seongwoo could see every tiny detail on Daniel’s face, even the tiny scar above his eyebrow that he got by missing his footing during a dance sequence.

He is so close to him, that he if leans slightly, just a little bit, their lips would touch.

Daniel seems to read his mind, his smiling mouth turns downward, in a miserable voice he whispers, “We shouldn’t.”

Seongwoo looks at Daniel, at his frown, at the scrunch of his eyebrows, at his eyes that are telling him that those are not the words he wants to say, and asks, “Why not?”

Daniel closes his eyes as if he is in pain, “The fact that I am a guy isn’t even a start to why we shouldn’t do this.”

“No one needs to know.”

“But if people find out you are dating _anyone_ your fans would decrease tremendously.”

“If they are my fans they would want me to be happy and I am happy with you. Besides, no one will know.”

Seongwoo takes Daniel’s hands, which were in fists by Daniel's side side and holds it in his two hands, “I really, really, really like you Daniel, and I would like to believe that you like me too. Do you?”

His question comes off insecure.

Daniel opens his eyes and Seongwoo gets slightly startled seeing tears in them.

With a soft smile, and a pained voice Daniel whispers, “I love you.”

Seongwoo stares at the other in shock, the confession is so genuine and so heartwarming that Seongwoo starts to consider running away with the other and eloping. Before Daniel could say another word, Seongwoo grabs Daniel by the hips and pulls him tightly for a hug.

Daniel chuckles, “I think I can’t breathe.”

Seongwoo moves away from the hug to softly hold Daniel’s face in his hands, his mind memorizing this moment, and every part of Daniel’s expression, “You are going to be the death of me.”

He leans in and their lips brush, before Seongwoo could pull Daniel in and turn the light kiss into something more, he hears a loud click and a flash.

They pull away from each other.

**2017**

It has become some sort of ritual. Everyday at 2am Daniel would walk to the convenience and would find Seongwoo standing there waiting for him patiently. They go on a walk and talk about the most random things, usually about whatever matters that pop in their mind while they are walking. Usually they would lose track of time and Daniel would only realize the time passing when he sees dawn break through the sky.

Nowadays Daniel is finding himself drinking more and more coffee, but he thinks it’s worth it. Being around Seongwoo relaxes Daniel and the walks that they have in the middle of the night is the only thing he looks forward to. His mood lifts just from seeing the other. They have come a long way from two strangers talking at a convenience store. 

Today has been a weird day of sorts. Firstly, his girlfriend has been ignoring him at school and Daniel has the sneaking suspicion that she is with another man again. But these days he seems to not care about her loyalty which pisses Jisung off because ‘she’s your girlfriend you should be upset when she is with another man.’

Then when he gets home Jisung is in an awful mood. He’s throwing things around and mumbling to himself. Daniel approaches him, warily of course, and Jisung glares at him, daring him to come closer. Daniel decides that he doesn’t want to die, so he moves to the farthest corner of the dorm, away from Jisung, and does his homework, waiting for Jisung to sort things out himself because that is what Jisung does; he always have sorted things out himself.

Daniel ends up doing homework till past 2, glancing at the clock he curses as he realizes that he’s late. Quickly putting on the first sweater he sees he practically leaps towards the door but Jisung’s voice stops him.

“You are going out again?”

Daniel turns around and sees a very pissed Jisung. Daniel nods, kind of scared.

“Are you going to see that Ong guy?”

Daniel nods again.

“You have school tomorrow.”

“I know.”

Jisung taps his foot impatiently, “I don’t think you should go out Daniel ah, just stay at home, just for tonight at least.”

There is something sad in his request, but Daniel ignores the tiny voice in his head telling him to stay because Jisung sounds like he needs him.

Daniel looks at the clock and realizes that’s he’s really running late.

Looking at Jisung’s stern expression Daniel rolls his eyes, without quite thinking he says, “You are not my mother Jisung.”

He walks out the door before he could hear a reply, slamming the door behind him.

He regrets the words as soon as he walks out of the dorm but it was too late to take it back. Jisung would forgive him, Jisung always forgives him.

Running like his life depends on it he manages to reach the store by 2:15. Panting he waves at Seongwoo who cheerily waves back.

“I thought you were going to ditch me for a second there,” Seongwoo comments as Daniel nears him.

“Sorry I just lost track of time,” Daniel replies, panting.

Seongwoo laughs, “I see you don’t run often.”

Daniel rolls his eyes, “Let’s see you do better! My apartment is like 10 minutes from this building but I managed to come here in 5.”

“I’ll probably be able to make it in 2.”

Daniel rolls his eyes again.

As they walk on their usual path, Seongwoo suddenly asks, “When can I visit your dorm?’

Daniel shrugs, “Whenever you want.”

“Sorry was that creepy. It’s just that I kind of want to know you better and well uh…”

Daniel looks at the other slightly surprised, Seongwoo rarely apologizes and he has never shown any signs of insecurity in anything until today.

“Nah it’s cool, I want to know you better too.”

Seongwoo smiles in relief, “You know for two strangers that met at 2am in a convenience store, we are pretty close.”

Daniel laughs and Seongwoo’s grin gets wider.

“You know I really like it when you laugh.”

Daniel giggles, “Thanks I guess.”

“I mean I like it when anyone laughs at my jokes.”

“Of course, your fragile ego needs it.”

Seongwoo nudges Daniel in the shoulder, “Shut up my ego is perfectly fine.”

Daniel starts laughing again and Seongwoo grins from one ear to another, “It seems that these days your laughter is the brightest part of my day.”

Daniel freezes hearing those words, feeling the romantic implications in them and Seongwoo does too.

“I don’t mean-”

“Do you want to lay on the grass, my head feels kind of woozy from all the math and running I did earlier,” Daniel interrupts nodding towards the grass patch at the side.  

Seongwoo nods and lays down on the patch of field near the sidewalk, and Daniel lays down besides him.

They both stare at the twinkling stars on top them, admiring them in silence. Seongwoo starts whistling a song, and Daniel feels goosebumps arise.

He turns his attention to Seongwoo, admiring Seongwoo while the other’s glance is still on the stars. He was so close to him that Daniel could easily see the three tiny dots which are formed like a constellation on Seongwoo’s cheek. He could have easily traced it if he dared.

Daniel’s heart beats unnaturally fast and something warm spread across his chest. As Seongwoo continues to whistle, he finds himself reminiscing one of the dreams. The one where Seongwoo was watching Daniel, or in this case dream Daniel, as he was clapping in amazement, smiling, his eyes, so genuine and so in love. It was so obvious that even dream Daniel noticed, and for some reason in that dream, seeing that expression, dream Daniel was scared.

Daniel is sure he is staring at Seongwoo in the same way that Seongwoo had in the dream. He feels as scared as he was in the dream.

“Can I ask you something kind of strange?” Daniel asks, interrupting the silence.

Seongwoo hums in permission his eyes still on the stars.

“When you first saw me did you feel like you saw me somewhere before?”

“Is this where you confess that you are secretly a stripper?”

“You visit strip clubs?”

Seongwoo chuckles, “You got me there.”

“I’m serious Seongwoo.”

Seongwoo shifts his attention from the stars to Daniel, “Yeah, you felt familiar.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“I felt like I knew you too.”

“How?”

Daniel looks up at the at stars, at the dark sky and the crescent moon shining down on him, it seems to calm him down, giving him the courage to muster the next words, “In a dream.”

Seongwoo doesn’t laugh like Daniel expected him too, instead, he is silent, urging Daniel to continue.

“You were on stage, singing and dancing, a musical actor I think. In the dream, I think… I think I was really happy watching you.”

Seongwoo doesn’t say anything for a while and Daniel feels himself sweat in nervousness despite the night being chilly.

Seongwoo moves closer to Daniel, their arms are side by side, facing Daniel he says, “You were on stage too, at times you were behind me, dancing with others but this one time you were dancing on stage by yourself...”

Daniel continues to stare at the sky in silence, afraid to look at Seongwoo’s expression.

“When you were alone on stage, dancing, you were… beautiful.”

Daniel shivers and Seongwoo gently places his hand over Daniel’s.

“That wasn’t me,” Daniel manages to croak out.

Seongwoo sighs, “I know, but I still feel the same way, looking at you now.”

Daniel's heart beats really fast, he feels that pressure in his chest again, the air gets stuffier and everything gets quieter; it seems like even the grasshoppers have stopped chirping.

“Daniel, can you please look at me?”

Daniel hesitatingly complies and seeing the sincerity in Seongwoo’s face scares him more than he can admit.

“I really, really, really like you.”

Daniel shivers again, this time it is definitely not because of the cold. He closes his eyes, the statement ringing in his ears as he remembers a flash of a scene, something blurry, like it came from his memories; a scene where Seongwoo is holding his hand, saying the same thing as he stands on a big stage, his voice just as sincere.

Daniel opens his eyes again, and feels tears in them, he tries to blink them back.

“I love you.”

Seongwoo looks shocked at the sudden confession, but he mostly looked pleased, as if this is what he wanted to hear his entire life.

Seongwoo pulls Daniel into a hug and buries his head on the other’s shoulder, “You are going to be the death of me Daniel.”

Daniel softly laughs and Seongwoo after a brief second move away from the embrace only to lean in again.

This time he leans forward so his lips were just centimetres away.

Daniel closes his eyes for confirmation.

Seongwoo softly brushes his lips against the other's and Daniel feels the goosebumps arise in his body.

The sound of Daniel’s phone ringing disrupts the mood, causing both of their attention to be shifted to the ringing machine in Daniel’s pocket.

“You should pick it up,” Seongwoo says grimly.

Huffing Daniel picks it up and stares the screen, frowning for a minute.

Curious Seongwoo asks, “Who is it?”

Daniel bites his lips, unsure if he should tell the truth. But then again, he was never a good liar and he doesn’t feel like lying to the other, Seongwoo deserves more than that.

With his heart in his throat, and before his brain could fully comprehend the decision his mouth made, he mumbles,

“It’s my girlfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so I have recently changed updates to once every two weeks but because of personal reasons I might not be able to update for the next month or so. I might come back earlier but it really depends. I am very sorry about this and I understand that since this is a chaptered fic, I may lose a lot of readers if I stay away from this fic for a long time. I really wanted to keep updates constant for this fic so I'm pretty depressed about the whole situation. Please wait for the next chapter of this fic, I will try to be back asap. Thank you for supporting "Our Story". <3


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so im back :) thanks for all the comments it really did brighten up my days while I was away; i will try to go back to updating kinda regularly but i cant make any promises; thanks for reading this fic

**1930**

Evil can come in many forms. It can come as a plague that destroys an entire civilization, as a dictator who abuses its civilians or simply as a citizen who does  nothing but damage other people.

Evil can be many things depending on who you ask and to Ong Seongwoo evil is the journalist standing in front of them with an evil smirk.

Moving his huge camera to his other hand, the journalist, with his peaky form and sour expression says, “Well that would be interesting for the front cover for tomorrow’s newspaper…”

Seongwoo feels his stomach lurch and Daniel looks at him with equal panic.

Trying to keep his voice as calm as possible Seongwoo asks, “Were you following me?”

The journalist shrugs, “Your manager told me where you were.”

Seongwoo clenches his teeth to supress back a scream, “Don’t release it.”

The journalist smiles, he takes out a paper and passes it to Seongwoo, “Meet me at this place tomorrow early in the morning okay? Until then, I promise I won’t release anything.”

The journalist walks away leaving Seongwoo with a petrified expression and a bitter taste in his mouth. Daniel nervously tugs the end of Seongwoo’s sleeve, “It will be alright.”

But it won’t be alright. In a flash Seongwoo sees everything. He could see exactly how things would go downhill.

He could see the journalist not keeping his promise and releasing the picture (because who really keeps any promises).

He could see people boo him off stage, he could imagine exactly how he would be kicked out of the musical and how it would feel like being jobless after having everything he ever worked for dragged away from him.

More than that he could see Daniel being dragged down with him and that thought pains him so much that it all turns into anger.

_All of this will happen because my manager lacks common sense._

Seongwoo shakes his head, anger rising up inside him and he practically sprints out of the place with Daniel at his heels screaming at him to calm down.

Surprisingly enough Jinyoung is outside the building waiting for them and it takes every bit of Seongwoo’s self control to not punch his manager in the face.

“You bastard!” Seongwoo screams as he nears Jinyoung.

Jinyoung flinches, foreign to the expression on Seongwoo’s face.

Slightly scared Jinyoung turns towards Daniel instead, who is beside the other panting, and nervously asks, “What happened?”

Before Daniel could answer Seongwoo interjects, “I will tell you what fucking happened! You ruined my career!”

A mixture of hurt and confusion spread across Jinyoung’s face and if Seongwoo was calm enough to notice the expression he would have, but he isn’t calm enough so he doesn’t.

“If you even had the slightest bit of common sense you wouldn’t have sent the journalist after us-”

“I didn’t mean to, he j-”

“-Or maybe you do want my career to end! Is that what you want?!”

“Seongwoo please just stop,” this time it’s Daniel who speaks but Seongwoo pays no attention to Daniel, his anger already boiling inside of him.

“I picked you up and took care of you and this is how you repay me?! You know what, we are done! You are fired. Take the next train home and move out my house. Its an order, if I see at home when I’m back I _will_ punch you.”

Tears well up in Jinyoung’s eyes but he doesn’t protest, with a weak voice he mumbles a soft, “If that’s what you want.”

As Jinyoung walks away Daniel looks at Seongwoo with a mixture of disbelief and disgust at what he had done.

Seongwoo stares at Jinyoung’s slouching figure walking away, and wonders,

_What have I done?_

Too swayed up by the anger, by the heat of the moment, he had payed no regards to his words and now those words ruined one of the few relationships he had. But it was too late to take those words back, it had already done its distraction.

Heart heavy he looks at Daniel, and feels a pang in his chest at the expression on Daniel’s face.

“You’re a bastard.” Daniel whispers, his voice as loathing as it can get.

And just like that his words had washed away another relationship.

Too worn out to even call Daniel back as he as the other turns away, he stares at Daniel’s bobbing pink hair as the other runs away, from him.

Just as he is about to throw a fit right there and then, he sees from a distance, his director running towards him. He composes himself, like he always does, after all he is an actor.

“It’s a good thing you are here,” the director says jogging up to Seongwoo, “The show today got cancelled because of a riot nearby so we are just going to move on to the final performance back at home. It’s a pity but what can we do?”

Seongwoo couldn’t help feeling slightly relieved, the knot in his stomach loosens slightly. Though he should be upset a show is cancelled, he didn’t know what he would have done if he saw Daniel today. He nods as the director says goodbye and stares at the pavement as he passes. Once the director is far away, he reaches into his pocket and stares at the address on the piece of paper.

He looks up towards the sky wondering where everything went wrong.

**2017**

“You have a girlfriend?!” Seongwoo asks, getting up from his laid down position on the grass.

Daniel gulps in nervousness, standing up himself he mumbles a soft, “Yes”, unable to even look at Seongwoo in his eyes.

“Do you realize what just happened between us?” Seongwoo exclaims his voice the most stressed and angry that Daniel has heard.

Daniel nods.

“And this whole time you had a girlfriend?”

Daniel nods again.

“Unbelievable. You are such a bastard.”

The words pierce through Daniel like arrows dipped in poison, not even looking at Seongwoo he could tell that the other’s expression holds disgust, disappointment and anger.

Well, if Daniel actually looked up he would have been able to tell that there is sadness in Seongwoo’s expression as well, but he doesn’t look up, so he doesn’t know.

Seongwoo turns around to walk away, shaking his head, but Daniel grabs his wrist, “Seongwoo wait-”

Seongwoo shakes off the grip on his wrist and interjects before Daniel could say another word, not even turning around to face the other he states, “One thing I hate more than anything is cheaters.”

Daniel feels his stomach lurch, the weight on his chest is back again, this time heavier and making it harder than ever to even breath. Losing the ability to even talk he watches as Seongwoo practically runs away in the opposite direction.

_You idiot._

Daniel covers his face with his hands and groans.

_How could I screw up this bad?_

Daniel weakly stands up, Seongwoo had left long ago, and the dark night seems to engulf him, the wind taunting him of his mistakes.

He manages to weakly walk back to his apartment, his body on autopilot.

He opens the door to see Jisung sitting on his bad, waiting for him.            

“What took you so long?”

Something about Jisung’s tone annoys Daniel, maybe it is due to what happened with Seongwoo or the fact that it is late at night or maybe he is just _so_ tired because Daniel just burst.

“You are not my fucking mother Jisung! For fuck's sake find another hobby that doesn’t involve obsessing over everything I do!”

Daniel doesn’t realize how deafening silences could be until the minute after those words stumble out of his mouth.

Jisung stares at him, his eyes watery and his shoulders sagging. His mouth in a thin straight line and his breathing deep and raspy, he stares at Daniel for an extremely long time. 

It is in that moment that Daniel notices how tired Jisung looks, like the whole weight of the world is on shoulders.

Jisung slowly gets up and starts moving around the dorm. It is only after ten minutes of watching Jisung move around that Daniel’s tired brain registers what Jisung is doing.  

“Are you packing up?”

Not even looking at Daniel, and instead concentrating on zipping his bulging suitcase, Jisung says, “I am staying over at Taewoong’s house for a while, I think it is the best for the both of us.”

Daniel opens his mouth to protest but then sees Jisung tiredly try to zip his suitcase and realizes maybe this is what both of them need, a break from everything.

He knows he needs it.

He walks up to Jisung, and with one swift motion zips the suitcase up for him.

“Thanks,” Jisung mumbles, still not looking at Daniel.

As Jisung almost walks out the door, Daniel, after some thought, says, “Come back soon.”

Jisung doesn’t even look back.

“Maybe.”

He slams the door as he leaves, making Daniel feel emptier than he did before.

Daniel slumps unto his bed and takes his phone out after he hears it buzzing.

**_Why didn’t you pick up your phone?_ **

**_I know you saw it._ **

**_We haven’t been on a date for a while. Want to go out to a restaurant tomorrow?_ **

**_My pick._ **

**_-Yuna_ **

Daniel stares at the message, the words blend together, taking him longer than usual to figure out what the message is saying. After weakly typing in an ‘okay’ he flings his phone to the other side of the bed.

Suddenly everything that happened today catches up to him.

Daniel stares up at the ceiling resisting the urge to cry.

 


	6. 6

**1930**

The girl is clutching his arm so hard that Seongwoo could feel the blood circulation being cut off in that area, she was whispering excitingly about god knows what, as they walk through the street. Steps heavy and arm numb Seongwoo recalls the exact moment that led him to this.

_“Take my niece out on a date and you I won’t release the picture, I promise. She lives in your hometown, the day you have your closing performance take her out.”_

The journalist had given him a simple request and Seongwoo should be happy that the journalist didn’t make him do anything completely ridiculous but looking at the girl he couldn’t help feeling despise. There isn’t anything wrong with the girl, she’s pretty, the girl next door type, and if he had met her in any other situation, Seongwoo could see himself be good friends with her. However, every time Seongwoo looks at the girl he could see the journalist in her and that made Seongwoo clench his teeth in anger.

To make things worse, the girl didn’t even know about their whole ‘date’ being made through blackmail. Seongwoo had simply asked her our by saying that he saw her on the streets and thought that she is pretty, all due to the journalist's request.

The girl not knowing about her uncle’s devise is the only reason Seongwoo isn’t turning a complete cold shoulder towards her.

The girl nudges him gently, “Where are we going?”

Trying his best to turn his lips into a smile Seongwoo says, “You will see.”

The girl giggles and this time Seongwoo flashes her a true smile, at least someone is happy.

As they near the familiar bakery, Seongwoo takes in a deep breath of its aroma, and the sweet scent mixed with the warmth radiating from the building calms him down. It returns the feeling to his arm and makes his steps lighter.

“Let’s go in here.”

The moment he steps into the bakery he regrets coming in. In front of him, by the counter taking orders, is Jinyoung.

A wave of regret and despair flow through Seongwoo as he watches his boy busily take orders, eyes wavering in nervousness, Jinyoung was never really a people person.

The cute boy beside him, Daehwi, nudges Jinyoung and points towards Seongwoo’s direction. Jinyoung looks up and his eyes turn cold.

Seongwoo’s heart falls to his feet.

He stiffly leads the girl to a table, and after some quick debating in his head, he decides to just go and order.

Slowly walking to the counter, he places a smile on his face as he stands across from Jinyoung. Jinyoung stares back at him through pursed lips.

Daehwi nudges Jinyoung again, “You can take a break now if you want.”

Jinyoung continues to stare coldly at Seongwoo and slowly nods.

Seongwoo’s hand clench.

Daehwi replaces him and puts on a huge, and obviously fake smile, “So what can I get today, sir?”

“Tell him I am sorry for what happened.”

“I’m sorry sir but that’s not part of our menu.”

“Daehwi _please_.”

“You can order now or leave the store.”

Seongwoo sighs, “One coffee, double cream and double sugar and-”

Seongwoo pauses realizing he didn’t exactly ask the girl what she wanted. He looks back to the girl who mouths the word, ‘anything’ to him.

Seongwoo sighs again, she really is a nice girl, too bad…

“And,” Daehwi prompts.

“And a slice of strawberry shortcake.”

Daehwi raises his eyebrows but goes to collect the order, leaving Seongwoo flushed as he thinks about how strawberry shortcake is the first thing he thinks of.

“Here’s the last one.” Daehwi says as he places the slice in front of him. A while later he brings the coffee.

As Seongwoo takes his order, Daehwi says, “What you did was horrible and I don’t think he will ever forgive you. He thought of you as family, how could you just kick him out like that?”

Seongwoo turns around, not answering. It isn’t like Daehwi was looking for an answer anyways.

His hands slightly shake as he places the two items on the table.

“Are you okay?” The girl asks genuinely concerned.

Seongwoo nods, not trusting himself to speak. As the girl continues to talk, about her family mainly, Seongwoo finds himself losing interest, and as he zones it out, in sudden realization, it hits him.

He doesn’t even know her name.

He looks at the girl in guilt.

_I really am a horrible person._

He gingerly takes a sip of his coffee and almost spits it out.

The coffee tastes salty.

_Salty?_

He looks back to see Daehwi stifle a giggle behind his hands and Jinyoung, who is behind him, smirks.

Seongwoo starts digging his fingernails into his palms.

Just then Kang freaking Daniel walks into the bakery, and Seongwoo feels like crying.

At first Daniel doesn’t see him as the other quickly ran to the counter to place his order.

In gloom Seongwoo remembers Daehwi’s earlier words as he handed over the slice of strawberry shortcake,

_Here’s the last one._

After Daniel says his orders Daehwi shakes his head, and then points towards Seongwoo and the girl.

It took every ounce of Seongwoo’s self control to not hide under the table.

Daniel looks to where Daehwi is pointing and his eyes widen as he sees Seongwoo. The glance quickly shifts to the girl then to the strawberry shortcake in front of her.

Various emotions flash on Daniel’s face and Seongwoo catches some of them.

Anger, sadness, jealousy, more anger, and then more sadness.

Even an onlooker could tell it is about more than just the last slice of strawberry shortcake.

Lips pursed and eyes watery Daniel shakes his head at Seongwoo and practically runs out of the bakery.

Seongwoo is too tired to run after him, even though every bit of him is telling him to.

That night the show is a mess.

Before the show Daniel wouldn’t even glance at Seongwoo much less talk to him.

During the show Seongwoo’s mind is buzzing with memories, thoughts of his mistakes, flashes of events where he did everything wrong, and with the first note of the song his voice cracks. After that, the show goes downhill.

As the curtains comes to a close, there is barely any claps, there were mostly whispers. Most of them wondering how everything can go so wrong so quickly. Seongwoo wonders the same thing. Tumbling backstage, all the staff stare at him, their expressions cold.

As Seongwoo runs towards the exit he hears one distinct sentence coming from everyone’s mouth,

“Maybe he isn’t fit to be a musical actor.”

Seongwoo drowns in those words as he stumbles his way home, feeling more far away from home with each step.

**2017**

She looks dazzling, she always looks dazzling. Wearing a simple maroon dress that reveals just the right amount of skin, heels so high that she almost towers above Daniel, and makeup so simple yet elegant (the main focus is her red lips), she is dazzling.

Always looking her best, always ready to seduce.

Holding a glass full of wine, as red as her lips, halfway to her mouth, as Daniel takes his seat, she greets him with a simple nod.

“I missed you,” she whispers as Daniel picks up the menu and starts looking through it.

_Liar._

Daniel doesn’t even look up.

 “I have already ordered for you.”

Daniel warily puts the menu down.

_Of course, she has._

“Yuna, you have to stop doing that.”

She shrugs, “I know what you like.”

_No, you don’t._

“What did you order then?”

“Seafood pasta.”

“I’m _allergic_ to seafood.”

She shrugs again, “Oh really? But _I_ like seafood.”

Daniel huffs in annoyance.

_Just break up with her already, what are you waiting for?_

Daniel glances at her dazzling smile and sighs,

_What the hell am I doing here?_

As Daniel inspects the tablecloth, not wanting to delve into a conversation with his date aka his girlfriend for two years, the food arrives.

As the scent of seafood nears them, Daniel looks up to see the last person he would want to see at the moment handling the plates.

“Ong Seongwoo?” Daniel asks in surprise.

Seongwoo doesn’t even glance at Daniel for a second, even though he had obviously recognized the other’s voice, and instead focuses on placing the hot plates on the table.

“Oh, you are one good looking waiter,” Yuna purrs.

Daniel clenches his teeth in anger.

_Not him._

Seongwoo grins at her, “And you are one pretty lady. Is there anything more I could get for you today?”

Yuna reaches over and brushes her fingers across Seongwoo’s waistband, “I don’t suppose I could order you off the menu.”

Seongwoo chuckles, “Trust me if you could I would let you.”

Daniel couldn’t bare it anymore.

“What the hell?!”

Seongwoo’s and Yuna’s attention shifts towards Daniel. But Seongwoo’s blank glance couldn’t meet Daniel’s, his eyes staring more at the things _behind_ Daniel than  _at_ him, while Yuna is staring coldly at him.

“Is there a problem?” Yuna asks, arms crossed.

Daniel stares at the seafood pasta in front of him, which if he ate could kill him, and then back at how close Yuna and Seongwoo were, the lack of distance between them slowly killing him, and thinks,

_I’m done._

“There isn’t a problem because we are done.”

Yuna stares at him, baffled.

Seongwoo’s glance quickly goes shocked then back to blank.

Yuna sniffles, as if she is holding back tears.

In a tiny voice she mumbles, “I haven’t seen you for so long, I plan this date, and you break up with me?”

Daniel couldn’t believe it.

_Now I am the monster._

Yuna then proceeds to cry.

The whole restaurant turns quiet, their attention shifted to the crying women and the man who broke her heart.

Seongwoo stares at Daniel, properly this time, his eyes cold. Not taking his eyes of Daniel, he offers a hand towards Yuna, “It’s okay ma’am I will call a taxi for you. I don’t think you should spend another minute with this man. You deserve someone better.”

Just like that Daniel’s ex-girlfriend, and the man he loves, leave the restaurant together, hand in hand.

_“You deserve someone better.”_

Those words stab through Daniel. Mind buzzing with those words he slowly takes out a wad of bills and leaves it on the table to pay for the uneaten meal. Carefully walking out of the restaurant, ignoring the stares and whispers, he calls a taxi home. Right after he vomits all the contents of his stomach unto the pavement.


	7. 7

**1930**

Lips chapped and ears freezing because of the cold Seongwoo stands in front of the bakery staring at the entrance.

_Should I go in?_

From the window, he could see Jinyoung taking orders, his eyes still wavering in nervousness as the customer in front of him continues to order a long list of items.

Seongwoo takes in a deep breath and opens the door.

Jinyoung’s attention immediately shifts toward the direction the cold air is coming from. Seeing Seongwoo at the entrance Jinyoung frowns. After completing the order, he starts to clean the already clean counter with a cloth.

Seongwoo, collecting all the bravery he has inside himself, walks towards the counter.

“I would like a coffee.”

Jinyoung doesn’t even look up from his glance at the cloth, “How would you like it sir?”

Seongwoo sighs, “You know exactly how I like my coffee Jinyoung.”

“With salt?”

From a distance Seongwoo could hear Daehwi giggle.

“Jinyoung I am sorry.”

Jinyoung stops cleaning the already clean counter and looks up, “Too late I am happy here.”

“Where do you live now?”

“Why do you care?”

“Come back.”

“I said I am happy here.”

There is something in Jinyoung’s tone that hurts Seongwoo.

“I am miserable without you though.”

Jinyoung stares at Seongwoo silently, assessing the other’s expression, “I heard that about yesterday’s performance.”

Seongwoo’s shoulders sag, “I know, it was horrible.”

“People are saying you aren’t fit to be a musical actor.”

Seongwoo winces at those familiar words, “What do you think?”

Jinyoung continues to stare blankly at Seongwoo and it is obvious he doesn’t want to answer the question.

Just then Daehwi interjects and Jinyoung looks relieved, the expression is like throwing salt in a wound.

“If you are not going to order please leave, there are too many customers behind you to have this conversation now.” Daehwi’s tone is genuinely polite and there is something that sounds like pity in there and Seongwoo hates that.

Throwing Jinyoung one last sad glance he whispers, “I miss you,” and walks away.

Leaving the bakery and entering the cold again, Seongwoo realizes he has no idea where to go. Not feeling like going back to an empty house, he decides to wander the streets for a while until he becomes tired; then he would _have to_ go home.  

Right then Seongwoo hears the sound of shoes hitting the pavement and loud panting behind him. He turns around surprised to find Jinyoung running towards him, his face red and his breath raspy.

It’s obvious this is the most exercise he has done in a while.

As Jinyoung stops in front of him, Seongwoo waits until the other fully catches his breath.

Regaining control of himself Jinyoung breathlessly says, “Daniel came today morning and told me about what happened that night, about the journalist and stuff.”

Seongwoo eyes widens in surprise.

“But that still doesn’t excuse anything.”

Seongwoo grimly nods, understanding.

“But now I can _understand_ why you did it. I hate what you did-what you said, those words still ring in my ears but honestly, I… I miss you too.”

Seongwoo stares at the other, his mind slowly registering the end of the statement.

_Jinyoung misses me._

Seongwoo bites his lips, resisting the urge to cry in relief.

“Can I move back in?”

Seongwoo envelopes Jinyoung in a tight hug in response.

“You are the only family I have.” Jinyoung whispers into Seongwoo’s shoulders.

Seongwoo hugs Jinyoung tighter, “I’m sorry.”

Jinyoung gently removes himself from the embrace, staring at Seongwoo with soft eyes, he says, “You are forgiven.”

Seongwoo smiles and Jinyoung smiles back, wider.

Then Seongwoo smile disappears, “How about Daehwi?”

“He was the one who told me to run after you. He said it was obvious that I was miserable too.”

“Were you?”

Jinyoung stares at the floor, “Kind of.”

Seongwoo ruffles the other’s hair, “What a mess we both are.”

Jinyoung frowns, “Mainly you. What were you thinking bringing that girl into the bakery? Daniel got so upset.”

Seongwoo frowns at the memory, “The journalist.”

Jinyoung rubs his face tiredly, “Seongwoo I’m-”

“Don’t,” Seongwoo interjects, “Your lips are turning blue, lets get you some shelter and some hot soup. Let’s go home.”

“After that let’s get you and Daniel back together.”

Seongwoo smiles sadly, “We can try I guess.”

####  **2017**

Walking up the stairs after that disaster of a date Daniel takes out his phone and rings up a familiar number.

_Jisung please pickup the phone._

_Please._

_I need you._

He doesn’t pick up. Daniel thinks he deserves it.

Tears welling up his eyes, he stumbles around with the keys before he manages to unlock the door. Flinging the door open, his breath catches in his throat at the sight in front of him.

Jisung is sitting on his bed, smiling warmly at Daniel, “You are finally home.”

Daniel feels the heaviness that the carried all day on his chest lift. He felt like he could finally be able to breath again. With the sight of Jisung patiently waiting for him, Daniel feels his throat clench. Before he knew it, he starts sobbing. The ugly sobbing with three times the tears, the snot and the hiccupping.

Jisung panics, Daniel rarely sheds _tears_.

Daniel _sobbing_ is completely foreign to him.

Walking towards Daniel who is still by the entrance, Jisung wraps his arms around the sobbing other and whispers, “It’s okay Niel ah, everything will be okay.”

Daniel buries his head unto the crook of Jisung’s neck. His tears spill out more and more as Jisung gently pats his back.

They both stay in that position, Jisung whispers words of comfort and Daniel cries his eyes out unto Jisung’s shoulder.

When Daniel’s throat became too dry to whimper any longer, his head starts to feel dizzy, and it seems like he had run out of tears. Daniel gently removes himself from Jisung’s shoulder and stares at the area on Jisung’s shoulder that he laid his head on.

Sniffling he points at it, “I’m sorry I made it wet.”

Sure enough it looks like a mini lake.

Jisung gently wipes the remaining tears on Daniel’s cheeks, “You don’t need to apologize to me Niel ah.”

Daniel feels his eyes water again, “Yeah I do. I really am sorry I didn’t mean any of it.”

Jisung sighs, “I know Daniel, don’t worry. Now, tell me what happened with you.”

Daniel shakes his head, rubbing his eyes, “No, tell me what happened with you. You were upset that day. What happened?”

Jisung looks at him, slightly shocked. Daniel blinks back more tears, is it really that surprising that he would care to ask the other about his troubles?

_Was I such a bad friend?_

_Am I such a bad friend?_

He bites back a whimper that is threatening to escape his lips.

Jisung gently moves a piece of Daniel’s hair that is sticking out behind the other’s ear, “I got laid off from my teaching job, not too many students are taking music nowadays.”

Daniel feels his knees grow weak, “What? How… you are the best music teacher in the whole damn field.”

Jisung smiles softly at the compliment, “Even if that were true, the school needed only one music teacher and the other teacher has way more years of experience.”

Daniel envelops Jisung into another hug, a sob stuck in his throat, “Jisung I am so sorry, I didn’t know and I…”

Jisung softly pats his hair, “If you don’t stop with the apology fest I am going to leave right now. Besides I have a job interview tomorrow so hope is not lost. Don’t worry I will pay the rent in time.”

Daniel chuckles as he moves away from the embrace, “I will be lost without you Jisung.”

Jisung smiles, intertwining his hand with Daniel’s, “I know.”

He gently tugs Daniel towards the bed to sit the other down, “Now tell me what happened with that Ong guy.”

Daniel hesitates at first, unsure how to start explaining the mess, but soon words tumble out and Daniel finds himself tearing up all over again.

Jisung gently rubs his thumb over the other’s as he talks for comfort. When Daniel tearfully finishes the story Jisung sighs.

“I knew that girlfriend of yours would bring you trouble.”

“It was my fault I was the one that was two timing her.”

Jisung raises his eyebrows, “You are really going to say that when you know her history with men. In comparison to what she did to you while you two were dating, you barely did anything.”

Daniel rubs his eyes tiredly, “Seongwoo doesn’t know any of that. He thinks I’m a dirty cheater and I think he might be hooking up with Yuna right now.”

Daniel feels bile rise in his throat at the thought of those two together. Jisung winces as well.

“You have to give him more credit, he doesn’t seem like that guy.”

“This is Yuna we are talking about.”

Jisung flinches again as he realizes how dire the situation has become, “You need to talk to him Daniel.”

“He hates me.” Daniel whispers, his voice cracking.

“Daniel, get some rest and we will think about a plan tomorrow. Everything will be okay.”

Daniel sighs, he highly doubts that, but he complies to Jisung’s command, as his head was feeling light, and his eyes were dropping.

As Jisung turns off the light, Daniel softly says, “Good luck on your interview tomorrow.”

Jisung grins at the statement, “Thanks Daniel ah.”


	8. 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last two weeks were horrifying. First it was Jonghyun's death and then a week after my grandmother who I was very close to died. I felt like giving up on everything. It was very hard for me to write but I managed to push the completion of the last chapter for this fic since I wanted to end it before the new year. Hopefully you all will enjoy it ~

####  **1930**

Seongwoo holds the script in his hands, slightly crumpling it as the nervousness clouds inside of him.

“I can’t do this Jinyoung.”

Jinyoung gives him a long hard stare, “You are the best musical actor I have ever seen. Ong Seongwoo, this part was made for you.”

Seongwoo rolls his eyes, “Yes, the role of family member #2 was made for me.”

“You said you would take anything you could get.”

Seongwoo sighs and takes another glance at the paper, he had exactly two lines in the entire play, “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. This is the least amount of lines I have ever auditioned for but…”

Jinyoung gently pats the other’s shoulder, “Give it some time. You will rise up again.”

Seongwoo’s lips lift a little, “I hope so.”

“Do you want to go get some coffee?”

Seongwoo nods, his eyes still on the script, “Yeah, okay.”

Jinyoung walks to the café, almost as if he is in a hurry, and Seongwoo stumbles behind him, trying to catch up to the other’s pace. Seongwoo couldn’t help but smile _… he wants to see Daehwi that bad huh?_

The moment he steps into the café Seongwoo’s smile disappears. Right in the middle of the café, leaning on the counter next to Daehwi, was Kang Daniel.

With the agility that Seongwoo didn’t know Jinyoung had, Jinyoung quickly grabs Daehwi and runs out the door, locking it behind them. He puts up the closed sign and raises his thumb up at Seongwoo in encouragement. Seongwoo could only stare at the other in confusion.

_What just happened?_

Seongwoo slowly shifts his attention to the only other person in the building, Kang Daniel. His breath catches in his throat when he sees Daniel stare at him with such intensity that probably mimics his own.

Kang Daniel...well… he looks different.

Firstly, his hair isn’t pink anymore. It’s reverted back to its original color, black and Seongwoo tries hard not to feel disappointed at that. Daniel also looks skinner, his cheek now stuck to his cheekbone, and his shirt, from what Seongwoo recalls is the shirt Daniel was wearing the first day he met the other (the black shirt), was looser on Daniel than before. He also looks more… sad. The childlike gleam in his eyes seemed to be lost. Noticing that Seongwoo frowns.

It has only been a month since their paths crossed yet it feels like forever.

“You look different,” Daniel remarks softly.

Seongwoo lets out a shaky breath, “So do you.”

Daniel looks around, “It’s weird, how did they even empty out this place? There was nobody here when I came here.”

Seongwoo raises his eyebrows, “They tricked you too?”

Daniel shakes his head, shifting from one leg to another he says, “I knew I was going to see you, I just didn’t know they were going to… lock us up in this building by ourselves.”

Suddenly Daniel wearing the shirt he met Seongwoo in made sense.

“They probably did that for my sake. Just in case I ran away.”

Daniel tilts his head in question, “And why would you do that?”

Seongwoo shrugs, unsure of how to answer that question.

Daniel leans off the counter and steps towards Seongwoo. Seongwoo tries not to step back.

“Why would you run away?” Daniel asks again.

Seongwoo sighs, looking at anywhere but Daniel he replies, “Because I know that if I see you I wouldn’t resist.”

Daniel scrunches his eyebrows in question, “Wouldn’t resist what?”

Seongwoo takes two big steps forward so he was only a few centimeters away from the other. He glances at the other’s lips and when he sees that Daniel was doing the same, all the self control he had in his body flew away.

Grabbing the back of Daniel’s head, he practically pulls the other forward to meet his lips. Their lips met messily, and Daniel clutched unto Seongwoo’s shoulders at the impact. His lips naturally respond to Seongwoo’s and Seongwoo’s hands roamed around Daniel’s torso, wanting to feel everything all at once. They only stopped when the want and desperation for each other caused Daniel to accidentally nip Seongwoo’s upper lip, hard enough to bring out blood, the exact moment when Seongwoo’s roaming hands went under Daniel’s shirt.

They pushed each other away at the same time when they realized that everything was going to fast.

Out of breath Seongwoo whispers, “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Daniel tiredly straightens his shirt, his mouth holding the biggest frown Seongwoo has ever seen, “Why does this have to be so…”

Seongwoo stares at Daniel’s confused and tortured expression in sadness. Suddenly all the feelings, the loneliness, the want, the desperation, the love, it all bubbled up inside him and without thinking it through he says, “I love you.”

Daniel freezes at his words. Seongwoo patiently waits for a response, his heart feeling like it could jump out of his chest at any given moment.

Taking in a deep breath Daniel slowly replies, “I really hated you. When you screamed at Jinyoung I hated you. When I saw you with that girl I hated you more…”

Seongwoo looks down at the floor, his heart falling to the floor.

“The past month I was so sure that I hated you. But I was stupid. I never hated you, I always loved you. That’s why, in the past month, it hurt thinking about you. It was like something heavy was pressing on my chest and it only lifted away when you walked through that door. I love you too Seongwoo.”

Seongwoo looks up in surprise at the confession, his heart back up in his chest, beating more wildly before.

Daniel rubs his hair in nervousness, “But…”

Seongwoo bites his lips, “But…”

Daniel sighs again, “In the past month I joined a dance team, temporarily at first. Something I never thought I would do… you know… freelancing was more me… but… after everything… well they liked me, they want to keep me as a permanent member.  The thing is… they travel… a lot… they never stay in one city for more than a few weeks… they…”

Daniel trails off, staring out the window, unsure of what to say.

Seongwoo leans towards Daniel and gently traces his thumb across Daniel’s cheek. Daniel shudders at the touch, leaning into to it.

Daniel slowly closes the space between Seongwoo and him. Gently burying his head on Seongwoo’s shoulder as Seongwoo wraps his arms around him, he murmurs, “We can’t be together.”

Seongwoo tightens his embrace.

“You know that Seongwoo, there are a billion reasons to why we can’t.”

Seongwoo shuts his eyes, in hopes it would mute those words.

“Seongwoo are you list-”

“I miss your pink hair.”

Daniel shakes his head, “Seongwoo don’t.”

“I missed you.”

Daniel leans back from Seongwoo’s embrace to look at the other and shakes him slightly to prompt the other to open his eyes back again, Seongwoo hesitatingly does, “I stopped dyeing it because it reminded me of you.”

“I love you.”

“Seongwoo were you even-”

“I love you Kang Daniel.”

“Seongwoo we can’t-”

“I love you more than anything in this world, more than anything -”

“Seongwoo please-”

“-in this universe. We can run away. No one will stop us then-”

“Seongwoo we can’t just-”

“-and I can also bring Jinyoung, he can help us. He can also bring Daehwi if he wants-”

“Seongwoo we can’t even get married, and we can’t-”

“-we can grow old together. We can be together. Daniel-”

Daniel grabs Seongwoo’s face in frustration, “WE CAN’T!”

Startled Seongwoo whimpers, “I love you.”

Daniel tries to blink back his tears, but a few escapes anyways, “You are all I want. But sometimes we can’t get what we want.”

Seongwoo shudders at those words, “You are all that I need.”

Daniel’s shoulders shake as he tries to hold back his sobs. Seongwoo gently bumps his forehead against Daniel’s, “Please don’t cry, I hate that.”

Daniel couldn’t hold it back anymore. He softly sobs as Seongwoo holds him, the older holding back his own tears.

“You think I want this?” Daniel says through his tears.          

Seongwoo softly wipes Daniel’s tears as they fall after one another, “We were doomed from the start, weren’t we?”

Seongwoo chokes on those words.

Daniel doesn’t reply. Instead, he leans over and places a soft kiss on the other’s lips. A goodbye kiss. A final kiss. Seongwoo resists the urge to pull the other back when Daniel pulls away. It would only repeat the cycle again. They would always be in a never-ending cycle, running around as they both tried to reach each other, unable to catch the other and make them stay in place.

“I have to leave,” Daniel says, “My train leaves soon. I probably… I probably won’t come back.”

Seongwoo’s closes his eyes again, not wanting to look at Daniel’s expression. Cause he knows, he knows, that if he looked at it, he would break.

“That’s probably for the best.”

“Seongwoo please look at me.”

Seongwoo doesn’t budge.

“I don’t want the last image of you being you refusing to look at me.”

Hesitatingly Seongwoo opens his eyes and isn’t surprised when tears automatically falls out of them. One after another they refuse to stop.

Daniel gently wipes the other’s tears, his own eyes shedding its own, “Maybe I will see you again. Become a huge musical star, and maybe… maybe…I will come and see your shows.”

Seongwoo chuckles bitterly at that, “I am auditioning to be family member #2 right now.”

“Great things take time Ong.”

Seongwoo smiles at the mention of his last name, “Still find it weird?”

Daniel’s mouth lifts, “Always.”

Daniel takes a pair of keys out his pocket, “I was wondering why Daehwi gave this to me, I guess it makes sense now.” He smiles softly at Seongwoo, “This is goodbye then.”

“Goodbye pink hair.”

Daniel’s smile turns sad, “I don’t have pink hair anymore.”

“You will always be my pink haired boy,” Seongwoo replies softly.

Daniel gently squeezes Seongwoo’s hand, “Good luck on your audition. They will love you.”

Seongwoo only nods back, not trusting himself to speak.

As Daniel unlocks the door, he looks back at Seongwoo, with a gentle smile and a soft voice he remarks, “Maybe in the next life we can be together.”

Seongwoo’s heart beats faster in his chest at those words, smiling the brightest he did that day he replies, “That’s a promise. I won’t let you go in the next life, Kang Daniel.”

Daniel could only smile softly in hope as he leaves Seongwoo alone in the café. Seongwoo looks around the café, feeling empty.

That emptiness seems to have carried within him for the rest of his life.

####  **2017**

Daniel really couldn’t believe Jisung. That man was really waking him up at 7:30 in the morning to _jog_.

“You’re insane,” Daniel says from his comfortable position on his bed, his sleep interrupted mere seconds ago by Jisung screaming in his ear about running outside.

Jisung looks Daniel, almost offended, “What? We can’t all have naturally broad shoulders and amazing legs.”

Daniel covers his face with his pillow, “You look good anyway.”

Jisung grabs the pillow away from Daniel’s face, “Thanks but that won’t change my mind. You’re coming with me. Besides, you should be glad that I woke you. You were crying.”

“I was?”

“Yeah, did you dream about him again?”

Daniel sighs, rubbing his eyes tiredly he mumbles, “I never seem to stop.”

“This one was bad?”

“Yeah. I left him.”

“In the dream?”

Daniel slowly sits up from his bed, nodding, “I feel…”

“Empty?”

“Yeah.”

“Which is why you need to go jogging.”

Daniel rolls his eyes, takes his other pillow and throws it at Jisung who quickly dodges it, “I hate you.”

“Get ready I’m leaving in 10.”

Daniel rolls his eyes but gets up anyway. It’s not like he had anything else to do anyway, and if he stayed in bed any longer he was sure he would break down into sobs. At least Jisung keeps him distracted. For the past week, Jisung made sure that Daniel is never left one moment by himself and Daniel was thankful for that. Cause if he is alone he wouldn’t stop thinking about… him… and that would always end up with him drowning in his own tears. So if Jisung thinks jogging is the way to go, Daniel is going to do it.

“Wear something nice,” Jisung says as Daniel comes out of the shower.

“To _jog_?”

“Like don’t wear your smelly t-shirt and sweatpants.”

Daniel rolls his eyes for the hundredth time that morning, “One day I am going to actually kill you.”

“Love you too.”

Wearing his sweatpants, that he usually reserves for dance practice and the nicest sweatshirt he has, he patiently waits for Jisung as the other hurriedly texts something on his phone.

“What are you doing?”

Jisung looks up from his phone in alarm, “Nothing.”

Daniel squints his eyes in suspicion but decided not to inquire further, “So are we going to jog or what?”

“Just a second,” Jisung replies as he tucks his phone back in his pocket, “I need to… uh…”

“You need to…” Daniel prompts.

“Daniel I need to tell you something.” Jisung suddenly says, his eyes wide and alert.

“Okay, what?”

“You know I love you right?”

“Yeah, sadly.”

“You know that whatever I do, it’s for your own good right?”

“Jisung what are you going on about?”

“As much as you would want to kill me don’t, remember jail food sucks.”

“Jisung what the fu-”

Suddenly the doorbell rings and Daniel feels his heart fall to the floor.

Jisung hurriedly runs to the door and unlocks it.

“Please tell me you didn’t,” Daniel whispers, panic rising inside him.

Jisung smiles at him apologetically and opens the door.

Seongwoo stands on the other side, his eyes immediately catch Daniel’s and he smiles softly. Daniel feels his legs grow week.

“Come in,” Jisung says, seeing that Daniel is unable to utter a single word.

Seongwoo steps into the dorm taking a good look around. His hands immediately reaching towards his tie to loosen it as his white collared shirt clings unto him with sweat, “It’s really hot outside.”

Jisung laughs awkwardly, “Yeah...so...uh... I am going out for a jog, make yourself at home.”

Seongwoo nods and Daniel clutches unto the wall next to him for support. His head feels dizzy, his mind barely comprehending the scenario unfolding in front of him.

Jinsung rushes out the door, the fastest that Daniel has seen the other, and puts his thumb up in encouragement before closing the door behind him.

Daniel closes his eyes, _please tell me it’s a dream, please tell me it’s a dream, please tell me-_

“Are you asleep?”

Daniel's eyes snap open to find Seongwoo, standing only a meter in front of him, with a puzzled expression on his face.

Daniel sighs, leaning unto the wall he asks back, “Why are you here?”

Seongwoo shrugs, “I did say I want to visit your dorm once.”

Daniel’s shoulder sags in worry, “I thought you never wanted to see me again.”

Seongwoo steps closer to Daniel and softly says, “Yeah, I thought so too. But… I…well... you roommate umm…”

“Jisung?”

“Yeah him. He saw me while I was working at the cafe nearby. He stared at my name tag for a good few minutes before asking, ‘are you Daniel’s Ong?’ very loudly.”

Daniel cringes at that but Seongwoo smiles at that memory.

“And I replied ‘yes’.”

Daniel raises his eyebrows, his head feeling light, “You did?”

Seongwoo takes another step closer to Daniel and reaches forward to clasp the other’s hand in his, “Yeah I did. I really did miss you, Daniel. If Jisung hadn’t found me that day, I would have figured out a way to come here myself.”

Daniel takes in a deep breath, “Really?”

Seongwoo steps closer to Daniel and Daniel resists the urge to step back, not because he didn’t want Seongwoo near him but because if Seongwoo did come near him, his heart would burst and with Seongwoo a meter in front of him already got his breathing to go out of control.

“Daniel…” Seongwoo gently says, “You're….my Daniel...right?”

His voice was coated with nervousness and that tone itself made Daniel want to melt in his arms. Seongwoo’s question bounced in his head, as his heart beats loudly and quickly in his chest, all he wanted to say was yes over and over again, until Seongwoo would have to shut Daniel with his lips, but instead what Daniel said was,

“I thought you hated me.”

Seongwoo leans closer to Daniel and gently plucks a piece of lint that was stuck on Daniel's sweatshirt.

Daniel’s heart freezes at the touch, even though there was cloth between Daniel’s skin and Seongwoo’s fingers, Daniel could feel the burn of his touch and he wanted nothing more but to lean into the touch and let that warmth spread through his entire body; but he stayed still, waiting.

Flinging the lint away Seongwoo whispers, “I don’t think I can ever hate you, Daniel.”

Daniel’s breath catches in his throat, “Really?”

Seongwoo smiles at the other, “Really.”

“Then… Yuna?”

Seongwoo’s eyebrows scrunch up in confusion, “Who?”

“My ex. The one you left with the other day.”

“Oh her. Yeah, what about her?”

“Didn’t you… uh, “ Daniel bashfully shakes his head, “Ah... it’s just… she… I thought that…”

“I slept with her?”

“Yeah, she has a way with men.”

“She was making her intentions very clear... But… she's not my type.”

Daniel’heartbeatat doubles at that statement.

“Besides,” Seongwoo continues, “I made a promise in the past life to never let you go Kang Daniel… and I plan on keeping that.”

Daniel shivers at the response, his body tingling, and the weight that was rested on his chest for the past few weeks, lifted, allowing him to finally _breathe_ again.

Before his mind can fully comprehend the movements of his body, his body leaned towards Seongwoo and his lips kissed the other firmly on the lips. It was short and it barely lasted a second. Daniel moved away from the other so quickly that Seongwoo took a few seconds to realize what happened.

Though it was short, Daniel’s lips burned with the taste of Seongwoo’s lips, and all he wished for was to taste a bit more, to burn his mouth till it felt like all he could taste is Seongwoo’s mouth. But he suppressed his huger and stared at Seongwoo, waiting for a reaction.

A few seconds go by and Seongwoo only stares at the other blankly. Those were the worse few seconds of Daniel’s life.

Finally, Seongwoo's lips slowly lifts, tilting his head to the side, while staring fondly at the other he whispers, “Did we even try… before?”

Daniel leans back unto the wall and sighs, “I don’t know, things were… difficult... back then, in the dream, in that universe, in the past life or whatever that was. I think we were too scared to try and make it work. I know… I know I regretted it, giving you up so quickly. I don’t think I even changed my hair back to pink, in that life at least.”

Seongwoo smiles, leaning in, he softly strokes Daniel’s pink hair, “It’s a really nice color.”

Daniel smiles back cheekily, “Yeah I know.”

Seongwoo chuckles as he shakes his head fondly. He gently presses his lips against Daniel’s. Within a  second he pulls back, causing Daniel to groan in complaint.

Seongwoo chuckles at the pout forming on Daniel mouth, “Why are you in such a hurry, we have so much time.”

Daniel buries his head in Seongwoo’s chest in embarrassment, “I’m trying to make  up for lost time okay?”

Seongwoo laughs at that, “We’ve got forever. There is no way I’m letting you go ever again.”

Daniel leans back again and smiles, “Good.”

Seongwoo smiles back and closes the distance between them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank all those who supported this fic, by leaving kudos, subscribing and leaving comments. I love reading comments and though I forget to reply to some of them I appreciate each and every one of them. I hope you guys enjoyed this story and I wish to see you in my future fics. 
> 
> (I might come back later and fix some stuff or add a chapter later if I feel like it; kind of like a special chapter type of thing) 
> 
> Thank you for reading ~  
> \- starlightstarshine

**Author's Note:**

> Any ideas for future fics or you just wanna talk here's my social media: [twitter](https://twitter.com/tinkerknk) and [tumblr](http://little-bother.tumblr.com/)


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